The DWP will be able to use a new law to stagger payments of arrears of benefits. The explanatory memorandum says-
'For the vast majority of claimants receiving a large lump sum is not a problem, but there are a small minority of claimants - often the Department’s most vulnerable - for whom these payments pose a potential risk. In extremis a risk to their lives, for example, those with serious addiction issues, where having large sums of money at any one time might lead to tragic consequences.
The changes now being proposed give the Secretary of State another option in her discussions with claimants. The option to be paid in instalments is something for the claimant to agree to if they choose and the Secretary of State recognises that this is a statutory entitlement that is lawfully due and so must be paid. The existing guidance will therefore be supplemented with a section which deals specifcally with these offers; in particular, on how staff will present the offers. The Department does not intend to prescribe an amount or period of time over which the payments will be staggered to preserve maximum fexibility to take into account the claimant’s particular circumstances.'
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